Preparation and characterization of high-reactivity explosive-based nano-boron microspheres

Boron nanoparticles , with their remarkably high gravimetric and volumetric calorific values, emerge as the most promising fuel in energetic fields. However, challenges such as susceptibility to oxidation , high ignition temperature , and low combustion efficiency have constrained their further applications. In this study, we fabricated high explosives based nano-boron microspheres with uniform size using the electrostatic spray method, in which the boron nanoparticles and high explosives (CL-20 or PETN) are closely bonded together by fluorinated polymer (F 2602 ) and evenly distributed. The results indicated that the microspheres exhibited high sphericity and showed an enhanced antioxidant capability. The addition of high-energy explosives not only reduced the thermal oxidation temperature of nano-boron powder within the microspheres but also significantly enhanced the pressurization rate. Additionally, the microspheres with added high-energy explosives released more energy during the combustion process. Compared to physically mixed samples, electrostatically sprayed microspheres with a uniform microstructure still exhibited higher reactivity. Therefore, the design and synthesis of microspheres with controllable structures using the electrostatic spray method show promising application prospects.